Review by Veronica


Not in Love is a smart and spicy workplace romance.
Favourite Quote:
“Have you been thinking about this as much as I have?” Eli’s voice was low and husky, scratchy with something I didn’t dare to name, but could have easily picked out in a lineup.
“I don’t know. How much have you been thinking about this?”
He let out a soft laugh, “A lot.”
“Then, yes.” I licked my lips, then almost begged him not to look at my mouth that way.
Book Synopsis:
Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.
Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through – and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.
Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business – one that plays for keeps.
Review:
This is my first Ali Hazelwood book. She has been on my TBR list for a while now, and I’ve been excited to dive into one of her books, especially since Kayleigh is always raving about previous books. I have mixed feelings about Not in Love. I liked it at times, and at other times, I found myself drifting into LaLa land. This is a STEM romance, and all the characters in this book are brilliant. Seeing so many smart and strong women excel in science and engineering was great. My problem is that I am not a math, science, and engineering kind of person, and yes, I know, this is a STEM romance, and therefore, there is fossil ( aka work) talk in those fields. I don’t mind STEM talk to a certain degree and have enjoyed other STEM romances, but this one has A LOT of STEM fossil talk in it, which meant that my mind tuned out what I was reading. I just wasn’t interested in any of the work aspects of this book; therefore, I ended up skimming those parts of the book. But as I always say, not every book is meant for every reader, and this one probably isn’t meant for me. If you are a bookworm who likes a romance with a heavier work/science focus, then you will probably enjoy this book.
I wasn’t super fond of Rue’s character. Not because there was anything wrong with her per se; I just didn’t connect with her. Rue is that prickly, smart, not gonna show my feelings kind of heroine. Her passion is her work and everything and everyone else she keeps at arm’s length. She has some childhood trauma that is probably the reason why she is so distant from everyone. Eli is the more outgoing of the two. I didn’t mind him as the book’s hero, but nothing really stood out for me to make him or her memorable. They just felt a little flat for me. Maybe it’s because they have this more reserved way of keeping those emotions in check in their personalities.
The romance in this book is pretty good. It’s very spicy, and if you are a fan of forbidden work romances, you will enjoy Eli and Rue’s budding romance. I was a little confused about what was going on when they first met. It took me a hot minute to realize that they had been talking online and were meeting in person for the first time to hook up. Things didn’t go as planned, and no hook-up was to be had. The next day, Rue finds out Eli is part of the company planning to take over the company for which she works, which means that Rue now views Eli as the enemy. The chemistry between these two was ok. Once again, because they both keep their emotions in check so much, it felt more rigid and lacking those big emotions I really enjoy in a romance. Now, Ali is known for her spice, which she delivers in this book. Things heat up between Eli and Rue, and they spend a lot of time learning each other’s kinks in the bedroom and other places.
Not in Love is a decent STEM romance that Ali Hazelwood fans will surely enjoy.
Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.